Donald Trump And Chuck Schumer Are Locked In A Bitter Feud

There are a few people in Donald Trump's inner circle who once hated him, but Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer doesn't fall into either category. Despite knowing the president for years and rubbing shoulders with him on a few occasions before Trump invaded the world of politics, tensions between the two rose as Schumer deliberately delayed the appointment of some of his chosen nominees. An upset Trump put his fragile ego on full display in a whiny social media meltdown in which he told Schumer to "GO TO HELL!" on Truth Social. The Senate minority leader printed the message out, put it on a poster, and displayed it at a press briefing. Schumer also called Trump's nominees "historically unqualified," proclaiming, "In a fit of rage, Trump threw in the towel, sent Republicans home, and was unable to do the basic work of negotiating. Is this the art of the deal? Posture, cajole, stamp your feet, and then give up?" (via the Associated Press). 

The two men bumped heads again in September 2025 when the divisive leader refused to meet with Schumer and Hakeem Jeffries to hash out the budget bill, which understandably led to widespread concerns that a government shutdown was inevitable. The president decried Schumer's demands as "ridiculous," asserting that a meeting would be pointless as a result (via Politico). Trump was unhappy, among other things, with the Dems' request that the government review some of the cuts made to immigrants' access to Medicaid earlier in the year. Speaking to reporters outside his Brooklyn home, Schumer called the former "Apprentice" host out for his decision, opining, "Donald Trump can't even negotiate a budget bill with Democrats. This great negotiator," before laying the blame for the imminent shutdown firmly at his feet.

It's long been said that Donald Trump's shady nicknames for everyone else are riddled with insecurity, and in his August 2025 Truth Social post blasting Chuck Schumer for delaying the appointment of his nominees, the president notably called him: "Cryin' Chuck Schumer." We could argue that Trump was actually the one crying behind the scenes; it's been well established that the divisive politician doesn't react well to not getting his way. There might be another reason Trump doled out a nickname for Schumer, though. Ahead of the 2016 presidential elections, the real estate mogul proudly touted Schumer as a friend. "I think I'll be able to get along well with Chuck Schumer. I was always very good with Schumer. I was close to Schumer in many ways," Trump remarked during an appearance on "Morning Joe." Schumer, on the other hand, clarified to Politico in September of that year that he had no warm and fuzzy feelings towards the candidate. 

"He was not my friend. We never went golfing together, even had a meal together," the senator explained. Ouch. Schumer added, "He's called me, we've had civil conversations a couple of times. But I've got to see what he does." Aside from using his authority in the Senate to try and undercut Trump's agenda, the minority leader has also taken to warning the public that the divisive politician is increasingly acting like a dictator. After Trump accidentally exposed his private message for Attorney General Pam Bondi to millions in a total boomer move, Schumer called him "a real threat to democracy" on CNN's "State of the Union." The senator also criticized Trump for attempting to prosecute his political adversaries, warning in no uncertain terms, "This is the path to a dictatorship."